Given that bacon has been a staple of breakfasts and beyond for ages, it’s not as if it only recently started being delicious. Still, it’s become a major talking point thanks to the media, and the internet in particular. Against all odds, there’s an entire church devoted to bacon — and it’s actually doing fairly well despite its premise.

To be fair, that may have to do with the promise of several major services. Weddings, funerals, and baptisms are all done free of charge with the United Church of Bacon; on top of that, the church’s officiates can perform the ceremonies, and will even make suggestions for improvement. The enrollment has seen a surge thanks to that promise, which brings the total count of bacon believers to more than twelve thousand. Those numbers won’t rival Christianity anytime soon, but the fact that there’s any more than a handful says plenty.

The whole thing may sound like a joke, but the United Church of Bacon has some serious grounding. Founded in 2010 by John Whiteside, the Las Vegas-based religion was intended to provide relief for atheists like him. The religion isn’t geared toward hurting anyone, but enhancing the lives of anyone who gives it a chance — and while they’re not afraid to poke fun with titles like “Funkmaster General”, the church is doing its best for everyone it can.